Ginger Wilde; Smart, Sexy, Inspirational...or, The Truth

What is it like to stand in front of a camera?
What is it like to give yourself permission to be self absorbed?
What is it like to let everyone know you think you are beautiful?

It's terrifying when you think about it all like that. As I was standing in the kitchen with my very best friends yesterday evening, our discussion turned to Self Esteem.

We, all 3 of us (whom now resemble the Witches of Eastwick) are pretty awesome and when we think of ourselves and what we do on a daily basis, what we are capable of -know without a doubt that we are FABULOUS!!!

So, why when we look at photographs of ourselves do we cry and moan about what we look like?
Some of it absolutely has to do with an impossible standard that has been set for us via the media, not just fashion magazines but bombarded with images from every type of media including, would you believe it...the radio?

Well, HANG ON! I can hear you shouting. I don't want to be a stick thin model, I don't want to walk the runways of the fashion capitols of the world! No. I don't either. When we look at photographs of ourselves and feel like crying it is mostly because the person we see in those pictures is not a true reflection of how we feel!
In our heads, we are super fit, multi-taskers! We took the world on today and we won!!! Because, we did all that though, we might have skipped reapplying some lipstick, or brushing our hair. We may have skipped a workout because, there wasn't enough time. In short, our energy has dimmed.

And this is what the camera picked up on. Because the camera only picks up the story of the moment.
It doesn't pick up how awesome you were today, how would it know that?  However smart your camera is it will never know that.

A good photographer will know.

My first test shoot with my photographer, Andy Gardiner of Much Love Photography (in Darwen, Lancashire) was such an emotional ride! It felt like forever, it took in reality a few minutes. We did it first thing in the morning with my daughter, Mini Wilde present. We had both had a good nights sleep and yet, there I was crying. Because I have never been comfortable when people call me beautiful, why would I declare it about myself?

So, we talked. Did I want to do this now? Would I like Mini, with me? He "prepped" in the back office for a bit and gave me a tissue and the result?

With no make up reapplication and with the power of a beautiful daughter who is smart and funny the result was this...

Here is my promise to you all and please consider what a stonking promise this is. In any shoot where skin is exposed and an ordinary passer by would see a stretch mark, that is what you will see. Of course I don't like them, no one does! But guess what? We all have something we HATE! Each of my concepts for sets will be focussing on something I don't like. With my photographer and his beautiful fiancée and my wonderful, Mini by my side. They won't be so bad anymore.

The next time someone tells me that I am beautiful, I will say Thank You. Then tell them exactly why I think they are beautiful too.

As always,

Much Love (get it now?)

Ginger xxx